Gain Competencies Research Articles

Promoting equity in education for sustainable development through community-based learning and teaching

Our presentation reported on the vital role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) (UNESCO, 2023) in fostering learners equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for a sustainable future. Despite the emphasis on inclusive and equitable human development through ESD, achieving equitable learning outcomes for all students remains a persistent challenge in the context of UK higher education. Our project explored the benefits and challenges of enabling all students to engage with ESD. We made recommendations for learning developers to effectively support students developing understanding and competencies for sustainability. We explored this through considering the challenges and gaps in inclusive pedagogies, professional development opportunities, curricula integration, and external partnerships. The objective of the project was to address this issue by investigating how equity concerns in ESD can be effectively tackled through the integration of community-based learning and teaching (CBLT) approaches into university curricula (Salam, et al., 2019). Also referred to as service learning, the growing effort in implementing these approaches involves students engaging in organised activities benefiting local communities, enhancing academic knowledge, and fostering civic responsibility. This has important implications for learning developers and the support students need to engage effectively in what may be an unfamiliar form of learning and development. Collaborating with a student researcher, the project employed a multi-faceted methodology, including a literature review, mapping exercise using sustainable development goals (SDGs) and qualitative examination of module descriptions at University College London (UCL) and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), both based in East London. In the presentation, we shared our existing practices combining ESD and community-based learning that included: Our mapping of the integration of ESD and community-based learning in our university curricula. Gaps and challenges in achieving equitable learning outcomes using a qualitative analysis of curriculum design and implementation. Our initial recommendations for the learning developer community in supporting students to engage with ESD, and gain vital knowledge, skills and competencies for a sustainable future. We also provided a short evaluation of our work as a research collaboration of learning development approaches involving students, academic developers and educators from two universities.

A Privacy Frequent Itemsets Mining Framework for Collaboration in IoT Using Federated Learning

Rapid advancement of industrial internet of things (IoT) technology has changed the supply chain network to an open system to meet the high demand for individualized products and provide better customer experiences. However the open-system supply chain has forced many small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) to adopt vertical integration by being divided into smaller companies with a distinctive business for each SME but a central alliance to produce a range of products and gain competencies. Therefore, existing models do not guarantee the protection of data privacy of individual SMEs. Moreover, especially for the IoT environment, collecting data in a secure way and revealing valuable knowledge in an IoT network is difficult. How to share data in a secure framework is of paramount importance in the internet of behavior field. In this article, a privacy-preserving data-mining framework is proposed for joint-venture industrial collaborative activities by combining federated learning and a “pre-large concept” of data-mining techniques. The novelty of the proposed approach is that, while mining high-utility itemsets (HUIs) from multiple datasets, it does not require direct data sharing. In the proposed method, the federated-learning framework can learn from aggregated learning parameters without scanning all data from different sets. The pre-large concept in this approach reduces the amount of scanning into different datasets. Thus, the approach makes it possible to train federated learning more quickly while protecting the privacy of individual data owners. The approach has been tested on real industrial datasets in a collaborative environment. Extensive experimental results show that the approach achieves high accuracy compared with conventional data-mining techniques while preserving the privacy of datasets.

ПРОБЛЕМЫ ОБЩЕНИЯ И АДАПТАЦИИ СТУДЕНТОВ СФЕРЫ ЭКОНОМИКИ И СЕРВИСА ПРИ ОБУЧЕНИИ В ВУЗЕ

It is well known that in the process of education and upbringing at the university, the socialization and formation of personal qualities of a young person takes place. Higher education promotes personal development in accordance with the cultural, social, economic and other requirements of modern society. It is education that allows young people to acquire an idea of universal values, gain professional knowledge and competencies necessary for their further successful personal development and existence in society. While studying at the university, self-determination and selfrealization of a young person takes place. However, not all students of the initial courses have an effective adaptation to new living conditions in the learning process, often students experience certain difficulties in communicating in a team of peers and teachers. Researchers are concerned about the increased level of anxiety and tension among first-year students who have communication problems leading to various psychosomatic disorders in the body and maladaptation to the educational process of the university [2]. The relevance of these studies is due to the importance of studying the adaptation process of students to the learning process at the university. We have made an attempt to conduct a comparative study of the characteristics of well-being and adaptation of students of the directions of Economics and Service of the Ufa State Petroleum Technical University of the 1st and 4th courses according to the indicators of the SAN questionnaire, the study of competence in communication by assessing the level of sociability (V.F. Ryakhovsky test), personal anxiety by the method of determining Ch.D. Spielberger – Yu.L. Khanin [6, 7].

Documentation and dissemination of scientific evidence by the Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program: experiences and lessons learnt, 2015\u20132020

BackgroundDuring participation in Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETP) residents/fellows generate scientific evidence from the various public health projects they are engaged in. However, this evidence is not sufficiently disseminated to influence policy and practice. We describe the processes through which evidence is disseminated, and share achievements and lessons learnt during the first 5 years of the Uganda Public Health Fellowship Program (PHFP).MethodsThe PHFP is a 2-year, full-time, non-degree fellowship, and the first post-masters FETP in Africa for mid-career public health professionals. Fellows gain competencies in seven main domains, which are demonstrated by deliverables while learning through service delivery, 80% of the time within Ministry of Health and related agencies. Generated public health evidence is disseminated immediately through sharing of daily situation reports with the National Task Force for Epidemic Preparedness and Response, as well as regional and district levels. Information is also disseminated on an intermediate to long-term basis through newspaper articles, epidemiological bulletins, abstracts and conference presentations, and publications in scientific journals.ResultsDuring 2015–2020, PHFP enrolled 80 fellows in seven cohorts, including five of whom who had graduated. Overall, 355 field projects had been implemented. Additionally, PHFP made 287 conference presentations including 108 international and 178 national conferences. Altogether, the Uganda PHFP has received 7 awards, 4 of these for excellent scientific presentations during conferences. By end of 2020, PHFP had written 147 manuscripts at different stages of peer review, including 53 publications; and published 153 epidemiological bulletins. Dissemination performance was limited by delays due to challenges like non-adherence to product clearance guidelines, limited persons to conduct product review, and limited expertise on certain scientific areas, authorship related issues, and competing priorities among fellows, staff, and alumni.ConclusionsThe PHFP has disseminated public health evidences through various means to a wider range of audiences within Uganda and globally. Manuscript publication and monitoring of actions taken as a result of evidence dissemination is still limited. We recommend putting in place mechanisms to facilitate publication of all scientific evidence and deliberate efforts to ensure and monitor scientific evidence utilization.

Relationality and resilience: Environmental education in a time of pandemic and climate crisis

In this article, we take up the overlapping nature of crises, and reflect on the knowledge we have gained vis-a-vis learning in a time of pandemic. COVID-19 and climate change have both, in overlapping ways, changed our understanding of what constitutes just and empowering approaches to crisis risk communication. In both areas of concern, the public has had to appropriate and interpret technical knowledge, and apply the same to risk situations. At times, whether it concerns the efficacy of masks for preventing COVID-19, or evacuating ahead of an impending tropical cyclone, the public has had to become their own local experts. Our work is guided by the ethic of relationality, which eschews objectification of the public, instead aiming for their full inclusion as partners in risk reduction. The challenge is to re-orient the role of the public from a passive recipient of expert knowledge to an active agent capable of acquiring, translating, and acting upon risk information. One interesting strategy has been to craft empowerment workshops where community members gain competencies in acquiring risk knowledge and translating the same into narrative forms that they can, in turn, share with others. This was translated into a lesson plan for elementary students in Tacloban, Philippines, on the risks of storm surge. We also describe how the same lesson was repurposed for COVID-19 risk communication. The case studies speak to an emerging form of environmental education that is relevant to crises of the Anthropocene.

P59 The Future of Clinical-Community Linkages – Nutrition Education Takes Root in Maine's Underserved Communities Through a Learning Partnership with SNAP-Ed

ObjectiveExplore the impact of exposing health professions students to the social determinants of health through a learning partnership with Maine Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed).Use of Theory or ResearchSNAP-Ed's program theory is informed by the Social-Ecological Model, supporting training competencies for health professions students to understand the social determinants of health and ensure a Social-Ecological Approach to clinical care.Target AudienceStudents enrolled in health professions programs (eg, medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant, dental medicine).Course/Curriculum DescriptionThe learning partnership exposes Maine's Care for the Underserved Pathways Area Health Education Center Scholars (CUP AHEC Scholars) to SNAP-Ed evidence-based curricula. The two-year program combines didactic and experiential activities for students interested in working in underserved communities. Scholars gain competencies in interprofessional education and practice, social determinants of health, and culturally sensitive clinical care. The collaboration promotes an understanding of how nutrition-related supports create healthier, food-secure communities. Scholars complete an online module covering SNAP-Ed program theory and participate in community-based activities alongside a nutrition educator.Evaluation MethodsPost-activity surveys from scholars collect immediate qualitative information on trainings, focused on quality improvements and learning outcomes. Annual post-surveys collect quantitative and qualitative data measuring competency outcomes. A storytelling approach with photographic evidence will highlight results from the collaboration's first 2 years.ResultsSince 2018, 9 students have participated in the Maine SNAP-Ed learning partnership. The majority of students (89%) report they would recommend the activity to fellow students. Qualitative feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and the most commonly cited learning outcome was increased understanding of “the link between poor nutrition and its impacts on health and wellness.”ConclusionsThe health professions training collaboration demonstrates that exposure to SNAP-Ed's approach to addressing social determinants of health provides valuable real-world clinical-community linkages experience. Scholarly partnerships with SNAP-Ed have the potential to create fundamental, systemic change in local capacity to reduce the burden of hunger and improve health outcomes. Explore the impact of exposing health professions students to the social determinants of health through a learning partnership with Maine Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed). SNAP-Ed's program theory is informed by the Social-Ecological Model, supporting training competencies for health professions students to understand the social determinants of health and ensure a Social-Ecological Approach to clinical care. Students enrolled in health professions programs (eg, medicine, physical therapy, physician assistant, dental medicine). The learning partnership exposes Maine's Care for the Underserved Pathways Area Health Education Center Scholars (CUP AHEC Scholars) to SNAP-Ed evidence-based curricula. The two-year program combines didactic and experiential activities for students interested in working in underserved communities. Scholars gain competencies in interprofessional education and practice, social determinants of health, and culturally sensitive clinical care. The collaboration promotes an understanding of how nutrition-related supports create healthier, food-secure communities. Scholars complete an online module covering SNAP-Ed program theory and participate in community-based activities alongside a nutrition educator. Post-activity surveys from scholars collect immediate qualitative information on trainings, focused on quality improvements and learning outcomes. Annual post-surveys collect quantitative and qualitative data measuring competency outcomes. A storytelling approach with photographic evidence will highlight results from the collaboration's first 2 years. Since 2018, 9 students have participated in the Maine SNAP-Ed learning partnership. The majority of students (89%) report they would recommend the activity to fellow students. Qualitative feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and the most commonly cited learning outcome was increased understanding of “the link between poor nutrition and its impacts on health and wellness.” The health professions training collaboration demonstrates that exposure to SNAP-Ed's approach to addressing social determinants of health provides valuable real-world clinical-community linkages experience. Scholarly partnerships with SNAP-Ed have the potential to create fundamental, systemic change in local capacity to reduce the burden of hunger and improve health outcomes.

Machine Cell Designing for Machinaries of Leather Shoes Production Unit

Career planning is the self-evaluation & planning done by a person to have a strong career path. Career planning process in the continuous reiterative process of understanding oneself, setting career goals, revising skills and searching for the right career options. A career plan is an individual's choice of occupation, organization and career path. Career planning encourages individuals to explore and gather information, which enables them to synthesize, gain competencies, make decisions, set goals and take action.

A Case Study of OregonWaterStories.com: Exploring Agency with Water Justice, Activist Applied Linguistics, and a Community Partner

Today’s students arrive to college with increased environmental awareness but often without the skills necessary to sort, interpret, and critically think about global environmental change or their relationship to it. To address the barrier of perceived student powerlessness in global environmental problems, we designed a transdisciplinary project for students to begin to take ownership of their learning experience, gain competencies in basic social science research methods, and explore agency with a community partner. In this case study, we narrate one exercise in which students created a public product of collated newspaper articles related to contemporary water issues in Oregon. The project involved the creation of an online database that resulted in a learning tool for future courses, a base for transdisciplinary research, and a deliverable for the public. The exercise proved valuable in demonstrating how students can engage with concepts of activist applied linguistics to evaluate positionalities of news sources while situating themselves as active and engaged members in their local environment. Homework assignments throughout the course revealed that students (1) gradually reported more positive and action-oriented views of their role in the environment and (2) developed greater competency in weighing the quality of media sources around environmental issues. We conclude with guided learning questions for faculty interested in implementing a similar exercise as well as suggested student discussion questions.

Drivers and barriers in the practice of health-specific leadership: A qualitative study in healthcare

Managers have a significant impact on the health and well-being of employees, particularly when the managers lead in a health-specific way and intentionally foster their employees' health. However, the data on contextual and individual factors influencing the practice of health-specific leadership is at present limited. To survey the experiences of healthcare managers with health-specific leadership skills and identify the drivers and barriers in the practice of health-specific leadership. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 51 managers from 18 geriatric-care facilities in Germany, between November 2014 and February 2015. The interviews were analysed through qualitative content analysis. In their reports, managers mentioned several drivers and barriers in the practice of health-specific leadership. These drivers and barriers were found at the leader level, the employee level, and the organizational level. The factors identified relate to the theoretical aspects of health-specific leadership: health value, health awareness, health behaviour, and role modelling. For successful practice of health-specific leadership, the findings suggest a more holistic approach for worksite health promotion. Managers should promote personal initiative that benefit employee health, encourage their employees to exhibit healthy behaviour themselves, address organizational resources and restrictions, and gain competencies in change management.

INTEGRATION OF INQUIRY-BASED INSTRUCTION WITH FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT: THE CASE OF EXPERIENCED CHEMISTRY TEACHERS

Inquiry-based teaching and learning methods are more and more widely used in the teaching natural sciences all over the world. The elements of inquiry are included in many national sciences’ core curricula and indicate that students should be actively involved in acquiring knowledge. This fact changes the teacher’s role in the classroom and the structure of everyday lessons. Independent inquiry helps students to develop various elements of scientific education, gain specific skills and competencies. Consequently, the assessment methods used so far are no longer sufficient and they should be expanded with new strategies, tools, and criteria. In recent years, there were many projects, in which teachers were trained in using both inquiry-based instructions and formative assessment. So far, unfortunately, there has been limited information on how teachers bring theory into practice and combine the new teaching and assessment methods, and how they adopt available teaching materials during everyday classes. This case study explored how experienced chemistry teachers, who have broad content, pedagogical content, and inquiry methodology knowledge, integrate inquiry-based teaching with formative assessment for the first time. The results of the study revealed the main limiting factors and teachers’ dilemmas.

Investigating dynamic capabilities, agility and knowledge management within EMNEs-longitudinal evidence from Europe

PurposeThis paper aims to analyse the impact of dynamic capability (DC) of emerging market multinationals (EMNEs) on their firm technological performance by teasing out the concepts of agility and knowledge management (KM) through DC.Design/methodology/approachEvidence from this study is contextualised on EMNEs that operate in the UK, Germany and France. This study examines the investment in intangible assets which EMNEs use to develop their DC over the period 2005-2016 and how this leads to increased firm technological performance.FindingsResults show that higher investments in DC allow EMNEs to be more agile and gain competencies through KM and thereby sustain competitiveness in the three leading European countries. This research also identifies which EMNE groupings show greater technological performance and how such EMNE groupings are able to translate dynamic capabilities into greater technological performance compared to others over time. In summary, the role of DC during of the global financial crisis was also examined, where they are required to be more agile.Originality/valueThis paper sheds light on a novel way and motivation of successful EMNEs in using developed host countries as a location for generating DC through agility and KM.

Strengthening Global Health Security Through Africa's First Absolute Post-Master's Fellowship Program in Field Epidemiology in Uganda.

Uganda is prone to epidemics of deadly infectious diseases and other public health emergencies. Though significant progress has been made in response to emergencies during the past 2 decades, system weaknesses still exist, including lack of a robust workforce with competencies to identify, investigate, and control disease outbreaks at the source. These deficiencies hamper global health security broadly. To address need for a highly competent workforce to combat infectious diseases, the Uganda Ministry of Health established the Public Health Fellowship Program (PHFP), the advanced-level Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), closely modeled after the CDC's Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) program. The 2-year, full-time, non-degree granting program is the first absolute post-master's FETP in Africa for mid-career public health professionals. Fellows gain competencies in 7 main domains, which are demonstrated by deliverables, while learning through service delivery 80% of the time in the ministry of health. During 2015-2017, PHFP enrolled 3 cohorts of 31 fellows. By January 2018, PHFP had graduated 2 cohorts (2015 and 2016) of 19 fellows. Fellows were placed in 17 priority areas of the ministry of health. They completed 153 projects (including 60 outbreak investigations, 12 refugee assessments, 40 surveillance projects, and 31 applied epidemiologic studies), of which 49 involved potential bioterrorism agents or epidemic-prone diseases. They made 132 conference presentations, prepared 40 manuscripts for peer-reviewed publication (17 published as of December 2017), and produced 3 case studies. Many of these projects have resulted in public health interventions that led to improvements in disease control and surveillance systems. The program has produced 19 issues of ministry of health bulletins. One year after graduation, graduates have been placed in key public health decision-making positions. Within 3 years, PHFP has strengthened global health security through improvement in public health emergency response; identification, investigation and control of outbreaks at their sources; and documentation and dissemination of findings to inform decision making by relevant stakeholders.

AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON OF PARTICIPATION IN LIFELONG LEARNING AND PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITIES FOR OLDER WORKERS

AbstractFor several decades, discussions of lifelong learning have focused heavily on adult education and training (AET) opportunities that provide economic benefits, especially those that help learners maintain or gain job-related skills or competencies so they can remain in the labor force at older ages. This can be especially important for older adult workers, who are at risk for experiencing skills obsolescence, as well as receiving fewer work-related training opportunities than younger workers. Using data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), we examined the relationship between participation in formal and non-formal AET, foundational computer skills (ICT), and problem solving abilities in technology-rich environments (PSTRE) for adults between ages 45–65. U.S. data were compared with data from Canada, Germany, and Japan. The U.S. had comparable levels of participation in AET to comparison countries for employed individuals 45–54 (63%), and the highest rates of participation among adults age 55–65 (59%). Even with these high rates of engagement in AET, employed adults in the U.S. between ages 45–54 scored significantly lower in PSTRE than individuals in comparison countries. Despite these scores, 93% of employed U.S. adults 45–54 said they have the ICT skills necessary for their current job, as did 88% of adults 55–65. The relationship between AET, technology skills in the workforce, and the knowledge economy will be discussed in this presentation.

Who Participates in the Great ShakeOut? Why Audience Segmentation Is the Future of Disaster Preparedness Campaigns.

Background: In 2008, the Southern California Earthquake Center in collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program launched the first annual Great ShakeOut, the largest earthquake preparedness drill in the history of the United States. Materials and Methods: We collected online survey data from 2052 campaign registrants to assess how people participated, whether audience segments shared behavioral patterns, and whether these segments were associated with five social cognitive factors targeted by the ShakeOut campaign. Results: Participants clustered into four behavioral patterns. The Minimal cluster had low participation in all activities (range: 0–39% participation). The Basic Drill cluster only participated in the drop, cover and hold drill (100% participation). The Community-Oriented cluster, involved in the drill (100%) and other interpersonal activities including attending disaster planning meetings (74%), was positively associated with interpersonal communication (β = 0.169), self-efficacy (β = 0.118), outcome efficacy (β = 0.110), and knowledge about disaster preparedness (β = 0.151). The Interactive and Games cluster, which participated in the drill (79%) and two online earthquake preparedness games (53% and 75%), was positively associated with all five social cognitive factors studied. Conclusions: Our results support audience segmentation approaches to engaging the public, which address the strengths and weaknesses of different segments. Offering games may help “gamers” gain competencies required to prepare for disasters. Targeting the highly active Community-Oriented cluster for leadership roles could help build community resilience by encouraging others to become more involved in disaster planning. We propose that the days of single, national education campaigns without local variation should end.

Strategic Partnering to Gain Competencies for Future Healthcare Delivery.

Strategic Partnering to Gain Competencies for Future Healthcare Delivery Patrick Allen; Frontiers of Health Services Management

Naandan and Jain: Leave this World Better than You Found it

India-based firm, Jain Irrigation Systems (Jain Irrigation), and its acquisition of NaanDan Irrigation Systems (NaanDan) offers an opportunity to explore supply chain sourcing and coordination as well as shupply chain management and global innovation. At the time of the case, Jain Irrigation's supply chain focus was mainly in India and the United States. While Jain Irrigation had deep knowledge of and production capabilities in the agriculture industry, Jain Irrigation believed that it would benefit from an Israel-based drip-irrigation company's technology and supply chain, so it arranged a meeting to talk about a joint venture. From its humble beginnings on a kibbutz in 1930, NaanDan had become a major manufacturer of micro irrigation with a global presence. NaanDan had manufacturing facilities in Israel, the United States, Chile, Brazil, Spain, and Australia. With its vast supply chain, NaanDan could get its product anywhere in the world. What the company leaders wanted was to create a competitive advantage through an investment in technology. In early 2007, NaanDan announced on its website that it was looking for a partner. The question was, should it sell the company to a large global firm such as John Deere, which had formed its own micro- and drip-irrigation business in 2006, seek private equity firms that had industry-specific knowledge and global networks, or pursue opportunities with competitors? Excerpt UVA-OM-1547 Rev. Apr. 3, 2017 NaanDan and Jain: Leave This World Better Than You Found It Farmers in the seventh-largest county in the world did a lot of talking about the weather—especially about rain or lack of it. The India-based firm Jain Irrigation Systems (Jain Irrigation), whose founder, Bhavarlal H. Jain, established the company with a mission to “leave this world better than you found it,” had been searching for an opportunity to help advance micro irrigation worldwide and gain competencies in that area. Thus far, Jain Irrigation's supply chain focus was mainly in India and the United States. While Jain Irrigation had deep knowledge of and production capabilities in the agriculture industry, the company believed that it would benefit from an Israeli-based drip-irrigation company's technology and supply chain, and NaanDan of Israel seemed like a good possibility, so it arranged a meeting to talk about a joint venture. From its humble beginnings on a kibbutz in 1930, NaanDan Irrigation Systems (NaanDan) had become a major manufacturer of micro irrigation with a global presence. NaanDan had manufacturing facilities in Israel, the United States, Chile, Brazil, Spain, and Australia. With its vast supply chain, NaanDan could get its product anywhere in the world. What the company leaders wanted was to create a competitive advantage through an investment in technology. In early 2007, NaanDan announced on its website that it was looking for a partner. The question was about the best way to enable the company to make this investment. Should it sell the company to a large global firm, such as John Deere, that had formed its own micro- and drip-irrigation business in 2006; seek private equity firms that had industry-specific knowledge and global networks (as was done by its biggest local competitor, Netafim); or pursue opportunities with other similar firms in different geographical locations? The Water Irrigation Industry . . .

Towards relating delivery methods and examination success: lessons learned from the VALO LLP project case study

AbstractDidactic, teacher‐centred approaches and rote learning have long been discredited and gradually replaced by participative, interactive and creative learning sessions. Formal classroom sessions are being replaced or augmented by self‐directed study increasingly in distance mode. The evolution and affordability of technologies enables massive participation in studies, not only for short training for professional updating but also for longer study periods and attainment of qualifications. The rapid changes in society and technology demand that everybody continuously updates their knowledge and skills in their area of expertise and gain knowledge, skills and competencies in other areas for a successful life of careers and not necessarily a career for life as was the norm in the past. It is important to safeguard the quality of independent assessment and certification methods. In this paper, we consider the main delivery methods and their impact on assessment methods and associated results. With reference to the European Certification and Qualification Association framework and the recently completed European Union co‐funded Lifelong Learning Programme project VALO, we juxtapose the delivery methods used and the examination results at different partner institutions. We extract observed issues and trends, which could be principles to be adopted by future projects with regards to process improvement and performance enhancement. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Board #307 - Technology Innovation A New Realistic Simulator for Maxillofacial Surgery (Submission #9900)

Introduction The training of residents for acquisition of surgical skills and proficiency is a sequential process. The individual should be able to make appropriate decisions based on sound knowledge of anatomy, pathology and surgical technique. During training, one has to acquire the appropriate visual spatial abilities, efficiency, knowledge of the procedure, surgical abilities and principles of proper tissue handling. Traditionally, surgical training is done in cadaveric specimens, animals and patients under supervision. Ethical and legal issues progressively limit training in animals and patients. In Brazil the widespread use of cadavers for craniofacial training is almost impossible. Aiming to gain surgical skills and competencies there is a tendency to use surgical realistic simulators through synthetic models or virtual reality models linked to haptic devices providing tactile and kinesthetic sensations. Description The purpose of this project was to present a new realistic surgical simulator for maxillofacial surgery. A realistic craniofacial model (human anatomic based) was developed in conjunction with the company ProDelphus. The model includes the craniofacial skeleton, as well as the soft tissue covering with its layered anatomical structures. Fractures of the mandible, maxila, zygomatic complex and orbit are simulated in the skeletal component. It allows imaging by computed tomography. The model went through the validation process by 15 experienced surgeons. Among those there were several who are also involved in resident training. Afterwards it was used in a trauma basic course designed for attendance by residents and graduate students. The scientific validation considered parameters such as identification of the fractures, consistency of the material, resistance of the material, identification of the mental nerve, infraorbital nerve and dissection plans, fracture fixation, soft tissue synthesis and radiological interface. Conclusion In the validation process, seven percent (7%) of the surgeons referred no problems with the model, 57% pointed out up to two minimal distortions when compared to the real anatomical structure which in their view do not impair the use of the model for training and 36% described up to four minimal distortions which should be modified to make the model apt for inexperienced surgeons training. The suggestions were duly noted to be implemented. When the model was used in the basic trauma course both instructors and young surgeons were very enthusiastic about it. A realistic simulator for surgical training should reflect the real anatomy, be atoxic, easy to handle, readily available and the cost should be as low as possible. The presented model meets several of those qualities and the materials used are totally recycable. Due to the current needs in surgical training the role of real and virtual simulators will be increasingly more important as teaching tools. The simulator presented can be effectively used as a component in the training of inexperienced surgeons and presents several advantages in the teaching of maxillofacial osteosynthesis over purely skeletal models. Disclosures Marcos Lyra is chief development officer for ProDelphus. Fernando Melhem Elias is a consultant for Implamed.

Is the restructured initial professional training in educational psychology fit for purpose?

Following changes to educational psychology training, the research aimed to examine whether the new training is considered “fit for purpose”, using a mixed-methods design. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected via semi-structured online questionnaires completed by recently qualified educational psychologists (RQEPs) who completed training programmes in 2009 and 2010, and principal educational psychologists (PEPs). 64 RQEPs and 15 PEPs responded to the online questionnaires distributed through the Educational Psychology Network (EPNET) and the National Association of Principal Educational Psychologists (NAPEP) forums, as well as via all initial professional training providers in the UK (excluding Scotland). Frequency counts were calculated for quantitative data. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the qualitative data. Findings suggest that RQEPs gain skills and competencies that are used and valued by services, specifically, professional and interpersonal competencies to face demanding roles. Gaps were identified in relation to providing RQEPs with therapeutic competencies that they and PEPs would value. Discrepancies between the training provided and the realistic educational psychologist (EP) role were highlighted, in addition to the impact these seem to have on RQEPs. Facilitators and barriers to implementation of training were identified. The restructured initial professional training appears to have provided RQEPs with relevant training that is used and valued by services. It seems that some level of “mismatch” in training and job requirements will remain until a consistent educational psychology identity can be formed, either through the profession itself or due to enforced Government changes to the role. Recommendations for RQEPs, Educational Psychology Services, including PEPs, and future programme providers are presented.

Evidence for Policy and Regulation

Nurses often do not become faculty through deliberate intention; rather they enter the role because of circumstance. While they may be expert practitioners, they are often not prepared for faculty roles. Unlike traditional preparation for nursing practice, which requires clinical education, the role of nurse teacher often has no systematic preparation. The purpose of the Nurse Faculty Intern (NFI) Pilot Study was to investigate the role development of nurse educators and the mechanism by which graduate students gain competencies related to pedagogy through practical experience and a relationship with mentors. Results from the study revealed need for intentional role development for the NFI. Even though NFI's had many years of nursing experience, they expressed the need for orientation to teaching pedagogy to better use their nursing knowledge when working with students. This article will present the findings and recommendations from the study.